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Teuthem
Teuthem is part of the Amedere Orbere system in Hex #0303 along with the Oodnadatta Belt it's the most frequented area of the system. From space, Teuthem looks like a ball of mercury or a ball bearing. The light of its star reflects off of the silvery pseudo-clouds made of a variety of abundant radiotrophic fungal spores in the atmosphere. This layer blocks most light from penetrating through to the surface. Shaelthum is the only official population center, ruled in part by the Shield of Light, The PRISM Network, and most recently, Avant G.R. (Avant Geological Resources). Among the native population are those who believe the eternal darkness and monsters that fill it are the result of psychics going wild post-scream, the actual cause of the darkness is unknown as but a few records have survived. Light and its colours carry a strong significance on the planet, partly because of PRISM, but mostly because it is the only thing keeping the monsters hiding in the darkness at bay. Strings of light illuminate every street and building, as not lighting up property is considered a faux pas. History 27th Century The Scream (2665) The few records that survived the Scream point to an as yet unexplained incident that resulted in the mass release of fungal spores into the planet’s atmosphere, blocking ninety-nine percent of all sunlight from reaching the planet’s surface. Due to the chemicals released during this process, the outer atmosphere has a shimmering, silvery surface as if it was coated in mercury. After this drastic rearranging of the planet’s ecosystem, there was a noticeable increase in spontaneous torching among Teuthem’s psychics. At first, this was believed to be a direct consequence of the Scream itself, permanently altering the nature of psionics. This spawned the deep-rooted fear of psionics that remains on the planet to this day. It was not until much later that medical examiners discovered abnormal amounts of a particular spore within the psychic’s body that they properly understood what was going on. (See Supra-Cordyceps under Flora and Fauna.) Nox Fide Forms (2665 - Present) During this period of darkness, the surviving members of the High Church of Messiah-as-Emperor went through what has been since called a period of transcendence. Forming a new facet of the faith-based around a nihilistic worldview the Nox Fide hold to the core teachings of the High Church, following a version of the virtues while promoting endurance of the soul against the inevitability of life. 28th Century Rediscovery (2789) Like most of the systems in the sector, the Amedere Orbere system and Teuthem, in particular, were discovered by House Vela in the years following the Scream. Their initial notes on the discovery contain a reference to the world of quicksilver. It wasn’t for almost a year post its discovery before it was realized that a city inhabited by a human population existed beneath the silvered clouds. The Free Mining Experiment (2789 - 2831) For the first decades following the rediscovery of Teuthem there was a “gold rush” as many Imperial citizens moved to the planet in the hope of mining the radioactive materials that were found to be in abundant supply within the upper layers of Teuthem’s crust. This resulted in a rather loose alliance of mining concerns taking control of large portions of the planet’s surface. This corporate alliance eventually grew to encompass the whole planet, leading to them taking full control of the government. Initially this was through proxies who were voted in by their employees, but eventually, even that charade was thrown aside for the ease of a fully corporate board making the decisions directly. This lasted until 2809 when each of the entities were bought out by the then new A.C.R.E Corporation. Under the new management, the rate of serf immigration skyrocketed in an attempt by A.C.R.E. to make a quick return on their investment. This collapsed after more than 20 years when it was noticed by one of the financiers in the A.C.R.E. corporation that the numbers of serfs being shipped into mine Teuthem were being depleted at a far higher rate than any of their other similar investments. An investigation discovered the nature of the spores of Supra-Cordyceps, and their effects on MES sufferers and the natural predators of the planet. 29th Century Refounding of Shaelthum (2831) After the collapse of Free Mining Experiment and the realisation of the true dangers of the Supra-Cordyceps and the predators, the remains of the city that lasted through the Scream were used as a base for the reconstruction of Shaelthum. The Shield of Light (2831 - Present) The remains of the security personnel that worked for the variety of mining concerns that had run Teuthem until 2831 took it upon themselves to defend the slowly rebuilding city from the encroaching fungi and animals. They formed the Shield of Light which eventually came to control the city. As part of their attempts to enforce their control, the Shield of Light put a military base in the asteroid belt to deal with the groups that began moving to escape from the eternal night. They named the base Nolan's Last Respite, the reasoning for this name has been lost to time. Psychic Safety Institute Established (2832 - Present) Shortly after the founding of Shaelthum, the Psychic Safety Institute was introduced as a governing body that dealt with MES-related issues. All newborns were to be tested for MES and, if found positive, removed for public safety. Present citizens found with MES were either forced to emigrate, re-assigned off-world, or sent outside the city. Nobles are granted an exception from PSI jurisdiction, but not from public opinion. Serfs found with MES can be granted approval to Shaelthum if their noble is present to give an exception. Much of PSI's work was initially focused around Nolan's Last Respite but in recent times it has moved to Nier 6, an orbital space-station that doubles as a refueling station and the psionic detection and detention center. 30th Century PRISM Established (2998) In late 2998 PRISM installed a news outlet on the planet, providing interstellar information, local information services, and financing, using this clout to influence the city’s government. After significant time on the planet, they eventually gained enough support to have influence over the Shield of Light. With the installation of their political machine, PRISM passed further laws giving them sweeping control over many facets of Shaelthum; surveillance, broadcasting, and trade agreements. The Shield of Light was also pushed in the direction of a stronger police state. 31st Century The Lighthouse is Built (3023-35) After gaining significant influence, PRISM used the government building that was never completed as the base for the Lighthouse, a square, bright white tower at the exact centre of Shaelthum. The windows on all four sides illuminate large swaths of the town in low light, and acts as a beacon for easy reference to non-natives. Its 50 stories tower far over the rest of the surrounding architecture and serves as logistics for the Shield of Light, PRISM, and off-world communications. Pirate Hunting (3026-3194) Numerous bands of pirates began springing up in Amedere Orbere, either within Shaelthum, offworld, or some attempting to setup remote bases beyond the city. These groups were largely disorganized and poorly funded, this resulted in many of their bases being destroyed. Unfortunately for the Shield of Light, many of these destroyed based were taken over by new pirate groups soon after they were cleared out. The continuous flow of pirate groups from base to base as they were attacked, “like whack-a-mole”, meant that despite their individually minor impact on the planet’s exports and income as a group they were one of the worst effects on the Teuthian economy in its history. 32nd Century The Outbreak (3151) One of the many minor pirate factions based in the asteroid fields around Teuthem was successfully rounded up and brought to Shaelthum for imprisonment. A few were unknowingly infected with the dangerous, psychically-active fungus Supra-Cordyceps. This led to an overnight outbreak in the vicinity of the prison, a quarantine, and ~10,000 casualties. Space services were shut down for a month, as decontamination procedures cleaned up that district of the city. The Deathless Contracted (3152) Following the wake of the Outbreak, as well as general increase in pirate factions, PRISM sought external services to ensure public safety was not threatened again. A joint contract between PRISM and the Shield of Light hired The Deathless’ services, bringing a contingent of mechs planetside. The mechs were used for ‘wildlife population control’ of predators and dangerous fungal growth in the region surrounding Shaelthum. Deathless naval officers and military personnel were also contracted to improve the native policing force. Vagrant Arrives (3195) Sector-wide piracy goes up as “House” Vagrant grow in notoriety. Local pirate forces start banding together under the Vagrant name and causing more issues to local resources. Naval vessels have higher difficulties properly protecting the mining asteroid belt, ultimately forced to pull back coverage to orbiting strategic facilities and Shaelthum. PRISM and local government notify House Crux, but resources are sparse with the ongoing Synthetic Crisis. Pirate Shootout in Shaelthum (3196) Shield of Light and Vagrant members have a violent shootout near the edge of city, briefly exposing part of the walled barrier as they fled. Multiple officers and pirates are injured, and multiple deaths between both sides. Public unrest increases. Shield of Light Passes New “Safety” Measures (3197-3199) Increased tensions between Vagrant vessels and planetside crews lead to the passage of new protection laws. ‘Neutral territory’ is established with The Last Light, a bar co-owned and staffed by Vagrant and PRISM-backed Echonians (Echo citizens). The Shield of Light is disbanded into smaller security agencies; spacecraft is limited to the Shaelthum region and a high-orbit security checkpoint. Law enforcement gains “new membership” for solving citizen disputes. PRISM resumes planetary mining prospecting (3198-Present) Burdened with ore shortfalls, PRISM begins using The Deathless contract prolifically to clear out regions of the jungle for mineral analysis. After a handful of failed trials, the first successful prospects take place one year later. Several mining pockets are located that were not discovered during the Free Mining Experiment. PRISM acquires another contract for The Deathless to quietly transport the additional ores offworld around the pirate fleets. Gathering the Vagrant Banners (3199) PRISM intelligence verifies that House Vagrant has gathered in alarmingly large amounts within the system with the arrival of several prominent leaders. Current Events October 3200 Operation New Dawn Rising above the skyline of Shaelthum like some radiant spear, the Lighthouse was a glowing sign of stability and strength. Under the rulership of the Shield of Light, all manners of important functions were carried out within its walls, such as entertaining foreign diplomats. Residing on the 48th floor of the Lighthouse were 22 Lyran diplomats, stationed there for the altogether vague purpose of entreating with the local government. Unbeknownst to these diplomats, they had been offered up as sacrifice by their cousins on Orpheus who saw them as liabilities due to their previous connections with the PRISM Network. Thus, a plot was hatched between pirates and nobles - the Lyrans would have their untrustworthy compatriots disposed of while Vagrant stained the appearance of the Shield by delivering ruin to their grandest symbol. The plot was laid out in two stages - a grand distraction and an execution. The distraction would be delivered with various incendiaries and concussive devices deposited throughout the many floors of the Lighthouse. While such artifices would deal little structural damage to the tower, they would produce the idea of a disastrous detonation, an illusion of devastation. Meanwhile, the real explosive, a macroflechette bomb crafted fastidiously in a secret workshop, was delivered to the 48th floor by dedicated demolition experts disguised as maintenance staff. Once the experts had retreated to a safer locale, the explosives were activated in tandem. The macroflechette detonation killed every person on its attendant floor, sending miniature sabots through walls, support structures, and the glass walls of the tower. Before the shockwave from the primary bomb had dissipated, the distraction devices were deployed. Dust and glass were cast upon the Sundown District of Shaelthum, flaming detritus scattering among homes and avenues. The Lighthouse burned like some hungry candle, smoke billowing from its windows and rising to meet the midnight clouds above. Naturally, the Shield of Light were all too slow to respond to the crisis, confronted with a variety of mechanical difficulties among their grav-vehicles that had not been present mere days before. Several Vagrant crews on shore leave within the Sundown District were instead the first responders to the scene, strategically placed around the Lighthouse through the previous days. As pandemonium seemed to rule the streets, pirates were the unexpected saviors of those souls whose homes were ruined or burned by falling rubble. Meanwhile, under a veil of dust and confusion, Vagrant assassins brazenly hunted known dissenters in the district, the crack of gunfire barely registered above the sound of screams and the roaring infernos. Finally, upon their arrival, the Shield were met with bridled suspicion and hate as their convoys once more arrived at the scene of a disaster with too little help, and far too late. Silenced Songbird On a fateful morning in early October, though one wouldn’t be able to tell the time of day in the midnight roads of Shaelthum, a poet by the name of Zygo Turkan was gunned down in a seemingly random act of violence during a drive-by shooting, his attackers concealed behind tinted windows. Turkan enjoyed a degree of infamy during his stay on Teuthem, weaponizing his pen against the Shield of Light and their abuses of power. As his blood stained the concrete, citizens who were unwilling to act before took to the streets, their blood running hot with a desire for rough street ‘justice.’ Contrary to popular belief, Turkan was not killed by the hands of Vagrants - even in the present day, the motives and identities of his attackers are unknown. Yet Vagrant rabble-rousers and fire starters, beginning to gather for the commencement of Operation New Dawn among the lower echelons of society, were quick to amplify outrage around the late poet’s death, spiraling the populace of Shaelthum into anger and fury. The Night Summit Even under the Shield of Light’s authoritarian purview, rivalries between small-time gangs and smuggling outfits in and around Shaelthum were a fact of life, an unfortunate danger to be avoided in one’s travels. Yet as riots took the city in the grip of governmental resentment, the gangs and criminals seemingly receded from view as crews such as the Star Blades and the GH24 withdrew their toughs from the streets. This tentative peace was brought into being under the Night Summit, a grand meeting of the city’s criminal elements orchestrated by Vagrant agents who had infiltrated said elements with bribes and an innate understanding of the criminal happenings of the sector. These gangers and contraband dealers were promised a cut of weaponry previously produced by Avant Geological Resources - a front company for the Confederation - with rifles and other such longs arms increasingly difficult to procure and maintain under the Shield of Light. In return, these ne'er-do-wells promised their loyalty, to use these new arms to incite further unrest in Shaelthum for the Shield, to crack the wall of light in the city, and to assist in the capture of the city when the time was right. The pact was struck, and the gang leaders left with their newfound prizes, already thinking of the ways they would put them to use even as the Vagrant negotiators moved on to the next stage of their grand plan. November 3200 Bomb City Solas Solais - a small city of survivalists with too much firepower for their own good. This isolated firebase was normally kept under surveillance by Shaelthum, as the two settlements distrusted one another in the extreme. Yet as Shaelthum turned her attention inwards to weather a season of storms, the people of Solas were approached with an offer from a rather piratical source. Twenty two pieces of postech siege weaponry, armored railguns to replace the veritably ancient cannons protecting the embankments of the tent city. In return, these paranoid demolition experts would merely need to let Vagrant vessels berth and repair within their walls, to keep their trade for advanced weaponry a continued endeavor. The deal was eagerly accepted, and when Vagrant vessels finally descended on Teuthem in all their glory, the leaders of Shaelthum found themselves caught between two fronts, the big guns of Solas Solais offering no empathy to their longtime foes. Jailbreak Blues Throughout its history as an institution of peacekeeping and politicking, the Shield of Light remained a staunch opponent of piracy on and throughout Teuthem’s space lanes. Within their offices and jail cells interspersed among the Shaelthum streets were housed countless imprisoned pirates, corsairs who were put in chains and had their key tossed away. With Shield officers unable to rapidly reinforce one another through waterlogged streets, a most daring jailbreak was enacted to return these abandoned mariners to the stars and strike a debilitating blow against the Shield. Drop craft clad in obfuscating materials, the roar of their engines reduced to a whisper and concealed by the anger of thunderstorms, let loose their cargoes of professional criminals across the city, thieves and lock-breakers alike. With their guards knocked unconscious and their power supplies fleeting, the cells of the Shield were emptied en masse, with crews reuniting for the first time in months and unaffiliated criminals offered a place in the Northern Fleet - in the end, precious few were willing to surrender a chance at freedom. Once the vessels had taken their human cargo back into the safety of the void, the Shield of Light had lost a crucial cog in their propaganda machine, unable to show any sign of victory to the people of Teuthem beyond empty hands and emptier promises of safety. The Storm Blows In Unwanted Guests As the people of Shaelthum took to the streets with raised fists and withering cries for justice, they were met in turn by thunder and lightning. The city was struck with a superstorm the likes of which are rarely seen, her wide streets being converted into canals and the swamps beyond her retaining walls surging into a dirtied sea of mud and silt. With basic infrastructure failing to keep pace with the torrent, just about anyone with common sense retreated back to their homes, fortifying their foyers against the flood. Yet as lights died in the city, the night beyond the walls stealing into the submerged streets, there were still a select few who roamed the avenues and alleys. Vagrant patrols, equipped with silenced weaponry, sloshed through waist-high tides to silence those who they deemed to be threats, left isolated in the throes of the storm. Some were shot in their studies, while others were bound and dragged into the detritus-filled waters, their bloated bodies only being discovered weeks later. Firebombs and thermite were seeded in locations across the city, from old ACRE warehouses to publishing houses whose work supported the Shield of Light. Some amateur journalists reported sightings of such masked figures sneaking through the onyx waters, but these stories were passed off as tall tales, the fabrications of poor eyesight and fear in equal measure. December 3200 Farmers, Rise Up! Beyond the safety of the city walls lay the Labenda Tracts, a network of spore dredgers and night farmers connected across the marshes by raised bridges cast in bright light, a glowing web cast about Shaelthum. These ranchers had long been accustomed to bucking the yoke of authority, with Shield of Light patrols often unwilling to march among the isolated farmsteads for fear of retaliation. This disdain for tyrants made the Labenda ranchers ideal allies once Vagrant vessels began to descend upon the planet, with many of these households uniting with pirates for naught but a chance to dismantle the authoritarian overseers still lodged within the City of the Night Jewel. Yet some of the more ideological clades, armed with rifles older than than the House Pyxis and grit to last them for generations, were unwilling to walk in step with any master, no matter their promises or freedoms. These impromptu rebels were dashed to pieces within days, their homes doused with firebombs, casting a hellish light across the swamps. Blood Runs Having essentially ruled over Shaelthum for decades on end, it should offer little surprise that the Shield of Light refused to be cast down from their thrones without conflict. As Vagrant corsairs began to slowly spill forth from the spaceports scattered about the city, they were met with riot officers and armored transports, their cannons loaded with live ammunition and their batons lashing out to crack against knees and skulls alike. The rattle of pitched gunfights rang and rebounded through narrow streets, even as the roar of anti-tank weaponry rose to meet the call of battle. Eventually, forces still loyal to the Shield of Light anchored themselves in a plaza known as Starlight Square, blocking major thoroughfares with their armored elements and staking desperate triages around the statue of some long-forgotten hero in the plaza center, his visage scarred with laser burns and errant rounds. These officers held for two days and two nights under siege, left without superiority in both the streets and the air. Finally, pirates armed with blades, cudgels, and pistols surmounted the hastily-erected barricades and drove the once-shining Shield into a thousand pieces, as the old order was sundered, chained, and dragged away, dashed across the blood-stained cobbles of the land they once claimed as their own. 3201 And Beyond Backroom Deal Under Construction Confederation Takeover As the lone world of the Amedere Orbere system, Teuthem has long held the moniker of the “Northern Crossroads,” constantly exposed to every variety of person and culture that wishes to travel to distant worlds. However, the emancipation of the planet by hot-blooded corsairs has forged new paths for her people, roads where they can walk with their heads held high, roads where they can spit on old insignias belonging to the Shield of Light, not yet scraped off of offending walls by fervent laborers. As with all change, there are corresponding pains that rock Teuthem’s citizenry. Neighborhood guards have taken on the mantle as the new law, with roadblocks and plain-clothes checkpoints guarding boroughs and districts from unwanted guests. With uniforms consisting of little more than rain jackets and armored vests, rifle-toting watchmen stand sentinel on sidewalks and corners as ideological clashes become the norm on Shaelthum streets. Shaelthum has become not only a shining light of new thought in the fungal darkness, but also a bustling port of the best or worst variety, depending on who one asks. Corsairs chew on unidentifiable substances and march from their vessels with crates slung over their shoulders, reminiscent of ancient treasure hunters returning from distant lands. Sailors of the stars boast of their exploits while their vessels refuel, trading stories for refreshments while they await further horizons. Immigrants to Teuthem bring pieces of their homeworlds with them to this interstellar junction, shown in every conceivable manner, from the names of newly laid districts to the many varieties of foreign plants lining the avenues. On a particular road, an observer might notice a townhouse being fashioned in Tiberian styles. Two streets over, a salon might be adopting interior styles and furniture akin to Orphean decor. A riotous tide of new cultural experiences has washed away many old stains of tradition in this fulgent metropolis, leaving behind a new port of legations and foreign diplomats, unsure of its identity and ready to embrace and even create that which is new and in vogue. Shaelthum is an easel for the wild artist, a pulpit for the firebrand preacher, and a place of rest for the enterprising spy, their works emboldened by passion, bloodshed, and piracy in equal measure. A New Government Takes Shape Under Construction - Detailing the Government installed by the Confederation, in the Arcadian Hall. Orbitals Nier 6 Nier 6 was the primary staging platform for the Shield of Light in the expanse of the void, though they were forced to share such a vital installation with the Psychic Safety Institute of Teuthem, another necessary apparatus in governing the night world. As an orbital body, one might assume that Vagrant vessels fell upon the platform like a hammer might smash a pane of stained glass, breaking any resistance with minimal effort. Yet Nier 6 was a valuable jewel, and the endeavor of replacing the system’s primary refueling platform would likely prove to be more trouble than it was worth. As this lone orbital spun around the marbled visage of Teuthem below, no bullet was fired, no blade was drawn, and no ship let fly with cannonade - nonetheless, Nier 6 fell within a day. A unique device, forged in secret workshops by goggled engineers, was smuggled into a remote corner of the station by a bribed PSI officer, who callously believed it to be a signal jammer at best, or a bomb at worst. Yet to label the device as a bomb is altogether too simple an explanation. It was in fact among the earliest scions of rediscovered Al-Dostian science, delivered in silence by fevered couriers from one end of the sector to another. The artifice was among the three unexplainable masterworks devised by the mind of Jon Tallarch, the late ‘Engineer of Miracles’ whose work in hidden laboratories greatly advanced understanding of salvaged Al-Dostian pretech. When this unclear and poorly-understood ‘bomb’ was activated, the Nier 6 station radiated with a harsh, absolute light, searing its way into the retinas of pirates watching from the decks of their vessels. For but a brief moment on the planetary surface, an amber glow could be witnessed among the midnight clouds. As quickly as it had manifested, the light retreated, and salvage crews boarded the still-intact orbital. All hands aboard the station were found dead, bodies contorted in rigor mortis. An unknown golden liquid leaked from their tear ducts, the irises now aureate and speckled with luminescent points of light. All forms of study indicated the liquid to be human tears, bereft of any chemicals to explain such transformation. The bodies were collected, studied, entombed in coffins of steel, and fired, one and all, into the star of Amedere Obere. The story was distributed to the public, and even most Vagrants, was a surgical strike with explosives that was quickly repaired. Those who witnessed what they refer to over their drinks as the Hateful Light remain confused and distraught as to what they unleashed upon the world, upon the void. Even now, as with most of Tallarch’s creations, the Hateful Light is seemingly impossible to replicate without the burning intelligence of that singular man’s genius - or madness. WASPAM 9 WASPAM 9 was, once, underfunded and undermanned research orbital whose sole purpose was studying the effects of a zero-g environment on the wildlife of Teuthem. Over time, sponsors from the Corporate Congress began to send the isolated scientists grand sums of credits to change the direction of their research - cybernetics, genetic modification, selective breeding. Light spitters with cumbersome sonic detection systems replacing their eyes, scavenger birds with razor-edge plasteel talons, all manner of machine and beast were fused together in the sterile halls and medical theaters. Such routines were interrupted with the arrival of Specimen I760 - a tengilin, weakened from its capture on the night world below. The scientists, at this point slaves to the credits and whims of the Corporate Congress, toiled on the body and psyche of the creature like artists with a blank easel. When the titanic beast finally and inevitably broke its restraints, WASPAM 9 went dark in less than an hour. Vagrant scavengers sent to the station came back in body bags, the few survivors speaking of a writhing beast made of chrome and tortured flesh. Some say its claws can sunder the hull of a gravtank, others claim its viscous blood is as black as the reaches of space. Whatever the case may be, a Vagrant frigate is now juxtaposed to the abandoned orbital, her crew warning off future explorers and her cannons awaiting an inevitable confirmation to slay the aptly named ‘Voidscale.’ Flora and Fauna Due to the lack of daylight on the planet, the majority of traditional flora on Teuthem has given way to radiotrophic fungi, feeding off of unusual amounts of gamma radiation from within the planet’s surface. By some twist of nature, the planet has produced several predatory creatures that are drawn toward MES, going out of their way to hunt down psychics. This has lead to psychics of all kinds being shunned and feared on Teutheum. The Supra-Cordyceps However, the greatest plague to strike Teuthem is not the psychic predators, but rather what many of their number carry with them. One of the many variants of fungi, formally called Supra-Cordyceps but known to the locals as “dust” or “darkdust”, is capable of infesting the bodies and minds of anyone unfortunate enough to wander the wilds. The infection eventually seizes motor control from its host as well as the central nervous system. Studies of past victims report nonsensical thoughts forming in the victim’s mind with no consistent patterns. The host will eventually die if untreated, releasing the building spores over time. The Supra-Cordyceps spreads slower if ingested, which allows it to travel long distances with the unwilling assistance of Teuthem’s many predators. The latter’s tendencies toward psychics has caused the fungi to develop more violent reactions in MES sufferers, prompting involuntary torching and sudden death via burnout. The psychic flare that is thrown up, as a result, has been known to attract the attention of the predators previously mentioned. The Supra-Cordycepts is extremely photosensitive in both its mature form and as spores, on contact with light it is known to ignite violently. This has led to the city of Shaelthum maintaining a consistently lit perimeter to limit infectious opportunities. The fungus is a major part of the ecosystem of Teuthem, being a food source for some of the hardier fungivorous creatures it provides part of the base of the food chain. Many of the apex predators of Teuthem are naturally immune to telepathic effects due to evolving alongside this fungus. As a result, many of these predators are host to large colonies of Supra-Cordyceps. The large number of psycho-reactive materials in the diets of these creatures draws them towards hunting prey with psychic potential. Some of the more dangerous species have even developed a degree of psychic sensitivity that allows them to track those even passively using psychic abilities. Radiopileus A gigantic mushroom (the size of a Redwood tree from earth) that has two unique properties: the first is that its underside glows, providing an invaluable source of light for Teuthem. The second, unfortunate aspect that has caused Prism to either ignore, or destroy it, been its unique property of blocking all wireless signals for miles. Few xenobiologists have been able to study the Radiopileus, but those that have carry the hypothesis that some of the source of this immense signal dampening is a layer of flesh deep within its huge, wide head. Though they have not been able to identify why this dampening field spreads so far out from the fungus itself. Light Spitter The light spitter is a dog-sized predator that Wanders the night wastes. These creatures are protected by a tough carapace, have a lupine head and hexapedal build, though their carapace extends into their now useless vestigial eye sockets (as the light spitter mostly tracks targets by vibrations in the air and ground) giving them a haunting appearance. The light spitter derives its name from its unique hunting mechanism, a crystalline formation (grown using the latent biopsionics that light spitters possess) at the back of their mouth normally covered by a form of carapace and bone cover this formation emits a constant low level of light (which along with a strong immune system renders them largely resistant to Supra-Cordyceps infection), however when encountering prey the light spitter can shunt multidimensional energy into the crystal and force it to emit a flash of incredible light, which the light spitter uses to stun light sensitive prey, furthermore the light spitter can focus their light into a high power beam, not dissimilar to a laser rifle in terms of power, range and killing potential, however this is draining on the light spitters crystal formation and depending on the age of the spitter in question a limited number of lethal shots can be taken without a rest period. During the early years of a light spitter's life their carapace maintains a metallic, near mirror, appearance this is to deflect the potentially deadly emissions of laser light from the given light spitter's siblings as they play together to learn the survival, hunting, and marksmanship skills that will be required for their day to day survival upon reaching adulthood. As they grow older their carapace both hardens and dulls, becoming the thick hide that will protect the light spitter throughout its life. Light spitters display decent levels of intelligence and even basic problem solving, maintain tight familial groups (referred to as packs) and have even on rare occasions been shown to have friendly interactions with or even form familial bonds with humans in a manner similar to dogs, however, they always maintain a high level of feral behaviour as they are far from domesticated. Tengilin Though most forms of life on Teuthem are dangerous in one way or another, the undisputed apex predator of the planet's surface is the tengilin, known colloquially to the locals as "bog terrors." A semi-aquatic mammal that can grow up to twenty feet in length, the tengilin resembles a cross between a crocodile and an enormous, six-limbed pangolin. While it prefers to hunt with ambush tactics, remaining mostly submerged in bodies of water or curled up to resemble a rock formation, it is more than capable of pursuing fleeing prey on dry land. If their prey is too large to kill with a single swipe or bite, a tengilin will latch on with their jaws and front set of grabbing claws while the secondary set tears at their quarry's flesh. While tengilins have mostly been driven from the waterways near Shaelthum, keeping them clear is always a challenge. The terrain is difficult for military vehicles even under ideal conditions, and the tengilin's overlapping scales are thick enough to limit the effectiveness of small arms fire. Combined with what has been hypothesized as a rudimentary form of precognition, it is extremely difficult to hunt a bog terror without becoming the hunted. Harvester Bird Morphologically similar to a hawk or owl and about the same size, the Harvester Bird is considered one of the most intelligent creatures on Teuthem, even if it's one of the rare predators that has no psychic resonance. They are, however, extremely aggressive, and exhibit unique pack hunting tactics that incorporate flocks of up to fifty. The harvester bird gets its name from the grisly way a colony shares its meals. Whenever a part of the flock coordinating in a hunt catches small game, they will carry the carcass back to the main nest and impale it upon the spiky undergrowth that grows beneath the fungal canopy. This in turn attracts larger scavengers, which the greater flock attacks in a swarm. If a flock of harvester birds catches a significantly larger animal while sick or injured, they have been known to uproot their entire food store to the site of a fresh kill. Partially because of the carrion in their diet and partially because of the dangerous nature of many strains of fungi on Teuthem, the harvester bird is also able to secrete a saliva with extremely potent anti-fungal properties, to the point where a raw dose is poisonous to humans. This makes harvester bird attacks even more dangerous, but their cultivation is also key in synthesizing medication that can treat cases of supra-cordyceps that are detected quickly enough. Raw harvester bird venom can sell for a high price, and the trade is one of the main sources of income for the Order of the Sacred Hunt. Settlements Shaelthum Upwards of 90% of Teuthem’s population is packed within the walls of the city of Shaelthum, where potent defenses against the dangers of both the Supra-Cordyceps and the psychically reactive creatures it attracts have been erected. Shaelthum has been under the influence of PRISM for nearly three-hundred years, being home to a bright, multicolored tower known as the Lighthouse. Though the sensible person remains within the lighted confines of Shaelthum, the enterprising soul might resort to night-skimming in order to turn a profit. Armed with a grav-barge and a high powered lantern, night skimmers sift through the swampland pools of Teuthem for edible fungus to sell at market. An untrained night skimmer will often die on his first haul; an incautious skimmer will accidentally bring Supra-Cordyceps back with him - a silent death among his wares. Population: 547,714 Solas Solais The only other permanent human presence on the face of Teuthem. Lacking the power required to permanently light up the area around them, the denizens of Solais instead use salvaged TL3 flares, fired from old ballistic artillery units, to cleanse the wildlife for miles around their home. Relations between Shaelthum and Solas Solais are, at the best of times, strained. This is primarily due to the Solais policy of indiscriminately bombing any organism within 10 miles of their settlement - be it man or monster. Population: '''Approximately 48,000 Teuthem Notable Locations Sapphirica Speak-Easy Mineral interests have always been a keystone of Teuthem, her politics, and her people. While raw metals are dredged up and smelted for a variety of industrial applications, the laborers acquiring these ores are often left disgruntled with poor pay. Eventually, more experienced pitmen will set out on their own into the swamps in search of precious stones and glittering fortunes. Jewel-hunters find lodgings and safe harbor in the Sapphirica, a seeming gentlemen’s club for prospectors that hosts far more colorful types than just gentlemen, as claims are staked and stories of derring-do are disseminated between fungus-tinted swigs of brandy. Many never return to the parlors of the Sapphirica, as panning for gemstones in the humidity and muck is one of the more lethal Teuthan professions. Fortunate survivors are greeted with waves as they approach the walls of Shaelthum, their reputation alone serving as ample protection for their shoulder-borne treasures. Nox Fide Locales Gate-Side Markets The nihilistic Nox Fide have long held sway in Teuthem, their lantern pilgrimages and becalmed sermons not particularly interfering with the Shield of Light’s mission or creed. Those less pious of the order, unwilling to march a great distance into the swamps on nothing but a single power cell and faith, instead choose to camp just beyond the gates of Shaelthum’s retaining walls. Pitched tents and trading posts radiate from the secured mycocrete fortifications like veins of starlight, silently petitioning travelers to gaze upon their wares. Bone-powders derived from the local fauna are sold as potent remedies, and trinkets fashioned from ancient fossils of the bog are engraved with fragments of Nox Fide scripture, tokens of safety to be kept at one’s side even in the darkest night. Back in the time of the old regime, criminals would don robes and hide amongst the congregations in these gate-side markets to avoid capture by the law - nowadays, it would be most odd to not see a criminal in one’s daily routine. It is still rather hard for the non-inducted to enlist a Nox Fide spiritual as a guide into the swamps, though as with most cultural norms on Teuthem as of late, such enshrined beliefs are eroding slowly over time. Sepulchre of the Chosen Hour The Nox Fide are a rather individualistic sect, as their famed star walks and many other practices aside are performed in isolation. However, there is one communal gathering place in which one might find the black-robed masses gathered en masse - the Sepulchre of the Chosen Hour. This mausoleum is situated on a prominent hillock far outside the security of the retaining wall of Shaelthum, a repository for those members of the Nox Fide who do not survive their lone pilgrimages. Their bodies are stored in alcoves throughout the upended towers of the Sepulchre, descending columns of preserved corpses still clad in their onyx cloths, spiraling away towards the heart of the planet. Processions of the still-living pass the bodies in quiet contemplation, leaving small trinkets upon the hallowed dead, with those within arm’s reach barely discernible under burial mounds of carved bone. Most of the structure, extending deep down into the earth, remains unfinished, as a new alcove is carved for every death, with the deeds each deceased has performed for the sect carved in miniature script about their place of rest. It is also said that the reliquaries of the Nox Fide reside in the deepest reaches of their inverted basalt spires, the skeletons of beasts long since passed and great repositories of precious stones purportedly resting side by side in the eternal dark. '''VFS Flame of Erasmus Amidst the superstorms of Teuthem, crashes and malfunctions among atmospheric vessels are not the most uncommon affair. Yet amongst the wrecks scattered throughout the swamps and jungles, there is one particular hulk surrounded by rumors and clad in a veil of infamy - the VFS Flame of Erasmus, King of Waves. Dredged from the mud and muck by dedicated corsairs, the Flame of Erasmus rests far from any settlement, characterized by her algae-encrusted hull and shattered viewports. This relic serves as a place of fraternization for the lost and forsaken, those whose reputations cannot be damaged any further. Outcasts frankly discuss their past and murderers explain their killings within the damp hallways and cabins, stories of death and malice traded with a rare openness. The Flame of Erasmus was originally jury-rigged by her stranded crew, utilizing the dying power of their reactor to power a dazzling array of light, driving back the terrors of the dark with blinding energy. After the crew managed to return to the trappings of civilization, they told their comrades of their misfortune, and no good Vagrant lets a vessel go to waste. A blade of light now sweeps out from the hull of the Erasmus, a halogen beacon cutting swathes out of the fungal shadows, a guiding force for those seeking refuge or safety - a seemingly lonely place, but ultimately one of unexpected solace. Arcadian Hall Though it by no means dominates the Shaelthum skyline, the Arcadian Hall rests between her neighbors in the visage of a pensive ape-like creature, squat and brooding. In spite of outward appearances, the Hall is the new epicenter of Teuthan politics, a vigorous gauntlet of shouting and stamping in the interest of policy and legislation. Previously a rookery of no major significance, the cramped tenements were purchased with pocket change and stitched together into a bureaucratic amalgamation. Every room is now an office, with paper records used as wallpaper, flooring, and rising to meet the ceiling in pillars of forms and letters. Scribes and functionaries dart through the halls and doorways like so many minnows, their coattails whipping behind them like ribbons and their steel-toed boots sounding out staccato rhythms - metallic footwear has proven invaluable for solving arguments when weapons aren’t allowed within the Hall. Further within the labyrinth is the chamber for which the Arcadian Hall has been named, an auditorium of steel beams and spars affixed about like a darkened grove of arbors, silently presiding over a hard and unforgiving floor of basalt-tinted mycocrete. This is where the passionate debates for the planet’s future take place, with seats for policymakers and influential citizens arrayed haphazardly throughout. The rustling of paper and fevered whispering is interspersed with diatribes of venomous rhetoric and bladed tongues, as statesmen berate one another for all manner of perceived wrongs. These professional dissidents are, for the most part, independent individuals with their own worries and beliefs about the definition of proper governance, each waging their personal war for the betterment of Shaelthum. Such battles are not only won with words - fists have a tendency to be thrown about on the floor of the Hall, with lectures on such challenging topics as morality and religion often culminating in satisfyingly patriotic brawls. As blood stains hardened stone and fingers are leveled with as much prejudice as can be mustered, the streets pulse with life beyond the grime-stained walls, and the starless skies wheel on above. The Jet Black Admiralty In an age where communication is only as fast as the quickest engine, sharing newly discovered information pays well. In the smoke-filled offices of the Jet Black Admiralty, rammed in amongst docks and spaceports, those in the know are paid for their recollections fresh off of the landing ramp. Spies and other illicit observers of the written or typed word lounge about the Admiralty, ears straining to hear stories, tales, mission reports, and statistics they are most assuredly not meant to know. The functionaries maintaining this den of espionage are not to be trifled with, locked behind doors of steel and commanding formidable desks of varnished wood with mannerisms not all that diverged from a captain directing a battleship. Fleet movements, political intrigues, prominent deaths and the stirrings of the beast that is interstellar trade all find their way into the immaculate red pocketbooks of the Admiralty’s attendants. Their darkened goggles for which their abode is aptly named betray no judgement and no curiosity, an impassive statue waiting to receive word from travelers and sailors alike. The web of foreign diplomats and agents across Teuthem will find themselves conspiring with the Admiralty for vital information at one juncture or another, for though they possess no navy, secrets and intelligence can deal far more grievous damage than the cannons of spacecraft when properly applied. Midnight Menagerie It is no secret that the wildlife of Teuthem, in all their oddities, are some of the deadliest creatures in the sector. From the energy-projecting light spitter to the precognitive apex predator known as the tengilin, most of the night world’s fauna are well adapted to dealing out death. It is no surprise, then, that many individuals wish to procure such creatures and bring them offworld for a variety of purposes. From soldiers of fortune looking for an extra edge to private collectors procuring rare specimens, there is a small yet persistent demand for Teuthem’s exotic beasts. The sole supplier of this need is Mr. Potri’s Midnight Menagerie, an ancient ACRE-designer warehouse converted into a makeshift enclosure facility for captured animals before they leave the planet. The trappers employed by the Menagerie are a collation of the finest game hunters from around the sector, drawn to the promise of thrill and fortune. Most wind up going home in body bags, their widows endowed with credits for consolation. As for the aforementioned Mr. Potri, his was the first and most spectacular death witnessed on Menagerie grounds, as his attempts to place an explosive collar on a tengilin ended about as well as one might expect. In his honor, or perhaps in a form of humiliation, the Menagerie and their plasteel livestock crates still bear his name to this day. Daybreak Gunworks LLC Avant Geological Resources is a company run by, funded by, and affiliated with Vagrants, not to mention the countless credit laundering schemes perpetrated through the corporate shell bureaucracy. Beyond being a rather successful criminal enterprise, Avant GR is famed for two products that every pirate wants - guns and medical supplies. Their firearms are specifically designed for those souls with a penchant for space combat, sporting collapsible frames, void-resistant material makeups, and low-velocity caseless ammunition capacity for relatively safe firing even within the confines of a space borne vessel. As for medicine, beyond conventional first-aid equipment and surgical tools, remedies for Supra Cordyceps infections are exclusively produced in Avant GR factories, making them a necessary contact for those wishing to explore all Teuthem has to offer. The primary manufacturing site of the company, known as Daybreak Gunworks, is a veritable fortress located within spitting distance of Shaelthum’s walls, purportedly constructed beyond city limits in case of ‘ballistic testing errors.’ In reality, the Gunworks were a secret port for landing Vagrant vessels looking to avoid the attention of the law when the Shield of Light still controlled the city. Avant GR is still a major Vagrant operation to this day, as deals are made in briefcases stocked with solid-state credits and weapons are sent to every corner of the sector in unmarked crates carried by piratical smugglers. The Labenda Tracts Stretching over a two hundred kilometer expanse, the Labenda Tracts is an incredibly fertile region of wetlands turned to the purpose of farming. Farmsteads built like lighthouses in the fog casting bright light out over their demesnes and bridges built on raised stilts to be high above the marshy water crisscross the entirety of the Tracts. Most of the foodstuffs on the planet are grown or raised here by old farmer families that have long dominated the region. Rice is the predominant crop, though the fungi used in mycoprotein and mycocrete are both equally in abundance. Huge fish farms dot the landscape and some hunters make their trade in tengilin. Both the hide and the meat of this dangerous Teuthan predator are in high demand and many farmers will pay a steep bounty to have them removed from their farms. Entertainment Sports In the years since the collapse of the Free Mining Experiment people have been using far flung parts of Teuthem for the exhibition of extreme sports, whether too dangerous for any government to allow or outright illegal the far off dark regions of Teuthem are ideal for avoiding notice until its too late. In more recent times some of these sports have gained enough notice to appear on PRISM's broadcasts on encrypted sections of the Orange Band. Amateur Mech Boxing In the veins of Shaelthum, there is a fighting spirit. From the hearts of the factory laborers to the dockhands watching shuttles rise from the spaceports in pillars of flame, there is a desire for something greater, some tangible meaning to life. Workers band together in the hopes of catapulting one of their numbers to fame, glory, and, if they’re lucky, riches. Servomotors go missing from mechanic shops, armor plating is lifted from vessels bound for the scrapyard, all while blood and sweat meet and commingle in the damp, sodden mud. These fortune-seekers try, often in vain, to attract the attention of an arena sponsor, those venture capitalists wealthy - or foolish - enough to risk their livelihoods on an up-and-coming gladiator. Few of the aspirants have a short lifespan anyhow, for life is just a suggestion and death is a certainty in the pit. Those elevated by their peers are champions, their frames of plasteel emblazoned with wishes of fortune and icons of victory and battle. They hope to leave the eternal night once and for all, to enter into the light of grandeur alongside the greats - Cannonade, Red Mantis, Sigmund, legends given form in the roar of their guns. These are the Blackout hopefuls, whose lives are cheap and dreams are priceless. The Blackout Ring The most famous of the sports that play out on Teuthem's darkened surface is the Blackout Ring. A circuit of the most brutal mech fights found anywhere outside of a war-zone in the sector. Split across weight categories these fights involve the use of any and all weaponry that the engineers can gain access to and despite the claims to the contrary death is not an impossibility in this ring. Night World The world is plunged into eternal darkness. The only life on this planet derives its energy from other sources, such as geothermal heat, extremely volatile chemical reactions in the planet's soil, or light in a non-visible spectrum. Most flora and fauna is voraciously eager to consume other life. Enemies: * Monstrous thing from the night * Offworlder finding the obscurity of the world convenient for dark purposes * Mad scientist experimenting with local life Friends: * Curious offworlder researcher * Hard-pressed colony leader * High priest of a sect that finds religious significance in the night Complications: * Daylight comes as a cataclysmic event at very long intervals * Light causes very dangerous reactions to native life or chemicals here * The locals have been gengineered to exist without light Things: * Rare chemicals created in the darkness * Light source usable on this world * Smuggler cache hidden here in ages past Places: * Formlessly pitch-black wilderness * Sea without a sun * Location defined by sounds or smells Psionics Fear The locals are terrified of psychics. Perhaps their history is studded with feral psychics who went on murderous rampages, or perhaps they simply nurse an unreasoning terror of those “mutant freaks”. Psychics demonstrate their powers at risk of their lives. Enemies: * Mental purity investigator * Suspicious zealot * Witch-finder Friends: * Hidden psychic * Offwolder psychic trapped here * Offworld educator Complications: * Psychic potential is much more common here * Some tech is mistaken as psitech * Natives believe certain rituals and customs can protect them from psychic powers Things: * Hidden psitech cache * Possessions of convicted psychics * Reward for turning in a psychic Places: * Inquisitorial chamber * Lynching site * Museum of psychic atrocities Research Base Waspam 9 '''Occupation: '''Experiments that have gotten loose '''Situation: '''Held hostage by outsiders Category:Planets Category:Amedere Orbere Category:Teuthem Category:Vagrant